Body support mattress pad

ABSTRACT

An improved mattress pad for providing support to a body with varying filled quilted cushioning in horizontal sections comprising a top section with small filled quilted cushioning providing firm support for a head; a middle section with large filled quilted cushioning providing moderate support for the upper legs and a torso; and a bottom section with channeled filled quilting providing moderate support for lower legs and a recessed portion for feet.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention relates generally to the textile and furniture industry,specifically, an improved mattress pad.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Mattress padding generally comprises a soft, pliable, fabric casing thatis filled with a soft material and is designed to be placed over amattress to provide additional padding and/or support. One of theoriginal implementation of mattress padding is known as a mattress pad.A mattress pad is composed of quilted and filled batting-type materialthat is fitted on top of a mattress in the same manner as a fittedsheet. The mattress pad provides additional cushion to the mattress andmay also provide protection from damage to the mattress. It recentyears, it has become common for a mattress pad to be integrated into themattress. Such mattresses are known pillow top mattresses.

Cushioning or fill material for mattress pads is usually syntheticfibers, such as batting or puffball polyester fiberfill, also knownsimply as puffballs or polyester fiberfill. The puffballs are puff-blownpolyester fiberfill that are resilient, fluffable and shapeable.Puffball polyester fiberfill is ideal for use in mattress pads becauseit retains its softness and fluffiness and recreates the loft andsupport of down. Polyester fiberfill is used as filling or insulatingmaterial for pillows, cushions, bedding materials, such as mattresspads, quilts, comforters, duvets, and in apparel, such as coats, parkas,and boots.

Mattress pads are typically quilted to prevent the fill material fromclumping into one particular spot. Quilting or baffling is stitchingthat goes through the front and back of the mattress pad and createspockets to hold a set amount of filler material and prevent it frommigrating. The amount of quilting varies, but typically higher qualitymattress pads include more quilting. Additionally, the quilting may bean ornamental feature of the mattress pad and can be sewn in the shapeof a design on the pad.

As used in the instant application, the term “filled quilting” of“filled quilted cushioning” refers to a construction comprised of topand bottom layers of sheet material in which closed pockets have beensewn through in a quilted pattern and wherein said pockets containcushioning or fill material such as batting or puffball polyesterfiberfill.

The lack of the ability to offer a mattress pad that has variedcushioning dependant upon the body part that contacts the mattress padis problematic. Different body parts require different density paddingto allow for maximum comfort. The amount of padding needed for maximumcomfort is dependent upon the body part and amount of the person's bodythat is in contact with the mattress. The head of a sleeper requiresfirm padding or maximum support. The core of the body, which makes themost contact with the mattress pad, requires the softest density ofpadding. The legs and feet of a sleeper require a medium amount ofpadding.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,988,286 describes a cushioning device and method ofproducing the cushioning device. The cushioning device may be a pillowwhich includes an upper pocket with a cavity for receiving fillermaterial such as down, fiberfill, or fiberballs and second cavity forreceiving additional filler material such as a foam core. The foam coreis a visco-elastic or polyurethane foam. The pillow is designed toprovide maximum support and comfort.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,555 describes a dual-filled adjustable posturalhealth pillow. The pillow consists of a three dimensionally rectangularouter casing which holds at least two discretely, proportionately filledcasings/chambers. The bottom casing is filled with grain hulls toelevate the head and support the neck. The top casing is filled with acompressible material such as wool or down to provide cushion. Anaperature in the grain-filled casing allows a user to adjust the volumeof fill for customization and maximum comfort.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,207,636 describes a cushion construction. A resilient,flexible foam material such as polyurethane foam or latex foam rubberwith a convoluted front and rear surface is wrapped with a batt or webof soft resilient non-woven fibrous material.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,996 describes a mattress formed from foam material.The mattress comprises a foam body having an upper surface forsupporting a user and a lower surface for resting on a support. An innercore region formed from foam material having a greater indentation forcedeflection co-efficient than the remainder of the foam body is provided.The inner core region extends substantially along the length of themattress and provides greater support in the mattress along an axissubstantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mattress. Theinner core is designed to provide additional support, reduce sag andincrease the life of the mattress.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,538 is a multi-section mattress overlay forsystematized pressure dispersion. The overlay is polyurethane foam andhas several sections defined in a relatively flat support surfacethereof. The sections are horizontally disposed so as to correspond withdifferent parts of a user's body. Each section has predetermined supportcharacteristics. A plurality of projections are formed in each surfacesection. Tailored support characteristics in respective sections provideengineered support for all parts of a user's body.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,251 describes a mattress pad adapted to preventdecubiltus ulcers of a person laying thereon wherein there are a headsection and a feet and legs section having similar top configurationsand an intermediate torso support insert section there between of a topconfiguration different than said other two sections. The insert sectionis capable of being a replaceable insert within said pad or permanentlyaffixed thereto. The mattress pad is composed of a polyurethane foam.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,999,868 describes a varying firmness mattress. The '868patent describes a mattress, not a mattress pad. The mattress includes asolid mattress with an upper foam portion, where the foam portion issimilar to egg-crate foam. The firmness of the mattress is varied inhorizontal sections. The variation is achieved by modification of theheights of the hills of the foam. The mattress consists of an uppervariable firmness section covering a lower section of generally uniformfirmness. Each region of the mattress is of substantially uniformfirmness, but the firmness is varied from one region to another. Theregions are formed of a resilient, foam rubber material indented inpatterns to provide numerous closely spaced apart hills surrounded byintended valleys, with the firmness of the regions being varied byvarying the heights of the hills.

None of the mattresses or mattress pads known describe a mattress padthat has filled quilted cushioning with horizontal zones of differingfirmness dependant upon the body part that contacts the mattress pad.None of the mattress pads described above are tailored to support aspecific portion of a user's body using filled quilted cushioning formaximum comfort. The improved mattress pad of the invention solves thisproblem by providing a uniquely filled quilted mattress pad designed tosupport different parts of a sleeper's body with filled quilting that isvaried in horizontal sections of the pad.

None of the prior art methods provide a mattress pad tailored to asleeper's body by using filled quilted cushioning. The mattress pad ofthe invention provides improved filled quilting to vary the firmness ofcushioning by use of horizontal zones corresponding to differing partsof a sleeper's body. The invention uses unique quilting patterns tosolve this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The current invention satisfies the above needs by providing a mattresspad for providing support to a body comprising filled quilted cushioningand horizontal zones of differing firmness. The firmness in each of saidhorizontal zones is created by varying the quilting pattern of themattress pad in each of the horizontal zones. Also disclosed is amattress pad wherein the horizontal zones comprise a top section, amiddle section and a bottom section.

The current invention also provides an improved mattress pad forproviding support to a body with varying filled quilted cushioning inhorizontal sections comprising a top section with small quiltedcushioning providing firm support for a head; a middle section withlarge quilted cushioning providing moderate support for upper legs and atorso; and a bottom section with channeled quilting providing moderatesupport for lower legs and a recessed portion for feet.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention may be better understood and appreciated from the followingdetailed description of the embodiments thereof, selected for purposesof illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of an improved quilted mattress pad.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an improved quilted mattress pad shownon a mattress.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a top view of an improved mattress pad 1 with quilting 2. FIG.2 is a perspective view of an improved quilted mattress pad shown on amattress. Quilting 2 is stitching that goes through the entire mattresspad 2 and separates the mattress pad 2 into several compartments orpockets. The quilting 2 prevents the filler from clumping in any onespot. The quilting 2 also ensures that the filler is evenly distributedthrough out the mattress pad 1. The term quilting or quilting pattern asused herein includes the resulting size and pattern created by quiltedor baffled stitches.

The mattress pad 1 of the invention may be filled with a syntheticmaterial or feather or down. The synthetic material can be polyesterfiberfill, puff ball, bonded fiber, gel fiber, batting or any otherknown synthetic material. Non-woven materials typically offer thegreatest loft and resilience for use in mattress pads 1. Any new orknown material suitable for filling a mattress pad 1 or fiber bed can beused to fill the mattress pad 1 of the invention. The filler materialused in the present invention is granular or particulate in nature (i.e.comprised of loose discrete pieces) not monolithic.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, there are three sections created by thequilting 2 in the mattress pad 1. The top section 3 or upper section isthe firmest section, created by quilting 2 that is sewn to produce smallsquares. Generally, the smaller the section that is created by thequilting 2, the firmer the cushioning will be. In the shown embodimentof FIG. 1, the top section 3 is approximately 20 inches in length. Thequilting 2 in the top section 3 creates small squares that areapproximately 5 inches by 5 inches.

The middle section 4 is the softest section of the mattress pad 1 andprovides moderate support. The middle section 4 will receive thegreatest amount of body contact and is desired to be the softest formaximum comfort. The middle section 4 is created to provide moderatesupport by using the largest quilting 2 pattern. The quilting 2 used inthe middle section 4 creates squares that are approximately 10 inches by10 inches. The middle section 4 is approximately 40 inches in length.

The bottom section 5 of the mattress pad 1 is also created to providemoderate support. The bottom section 5 is where the sleeper's ankles andfeet will rest. The quilting 2 used in the bottom section 5 createschannels. The channels are approximately five inches in width. Thebottom section 5 is approximately 20 inches in length. The channels ofthe bottom section 5 allow a sleeper to comfortably rest his or her feetin the depth of the channel. The lack of vertical quilting 2 in thissection allows for more movement of the filler material and thus asofter cushion.

FIG. 2 shows the perspective view of the improved quilted mattress padshown on a mattress and on a bed frame. As shown, the mattress pad 1 isdesigned to be thicker than a typical mattress pad; however, it is notdesigned to be as full as a fiber or feather bed. The mattress pad 1retains the ability to be secured to the mattress with a wrap aroundside portion 6, like a fitted sheet. The mattress pad 1 is able to beplaced under a fitted sheet.

Accordingly, it will be understood that the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention have been disclosed by way of example and that othermodifications and alterations may occur to those skilled in the art.

1. A mattress pad for providing support to a body comprising: filledquilted cushioning; horizontal zones of differing firmness, wherein saidfirmness in each of said horizontal zones is created by varying aquilting pattern on said mattress pad in each of said horizontal zones.2. The mattress pad of claim 1, wherein a top section has the smallestquilting pattern.
 3. The mattress pad of claim 2, wherein said topsection provides the firmest support and is adapted to support a headportion of said body.
 4. The mattress pad of claim 1, wherein a middlesection has the largest quilting pattern.
 5. The mattress pad of claim4, wherein said middle section provides moderate support and is adaptedto support a torso and upper legs of said body.
 6. The mattress pad ofclaim 1, wherein a bottom section has a channeled quilting pattern. 7.The mattress pad of claim 6, where said bottom section provides moderatesupport and is adapted to support lower legs and feet of said body. 8.The mattress pad of claim 1, wherein said mattress pad is filled with asynthetic filler material.
 9. A mattress pad for providing support to abody comprising: quilted cushioning; horizontal zones of differingfirmness, wherein said firmness in each of said horizontal zones iscreated by varying the quilting pattern of said mattress pad in each ofsaid horizontal zones; and wherein said horizontal zones comprise a topsection, a middle section and a bottom section.
 10. The mattress pad ofclaim 9, wherein said top section has the smallest quilting pattern. 11.The mattress pad of claim 9, wherein a middle section has the largestquilting pattern.
 12. The mattress pad of claim 9, wherein a bottomsection has channeled quilting pattern.
 13. An improved mattress pad forproviding support to a body with varying quilted cushioning inhorizontal sections comprising: a top section with small quiltedcushioning providing firm support for a head; a middle section withlarge quilted cushioning providing moderate support for upper legs and atorso; and a bottom section with channeled quilting providing moderatesupport for lower legs and a recessed portion for feet.
 14. The improvedmattress pad of claim 13, wherein said top section extendslongitudinally about 20 inches.
 15. The improved mattress pad of claim13, wherein said middle section extends longitudinally about 40 inches.16. The improved mattress pad of claim 13, wherein said bottom sectionextends longitudinally about 20 inches.